by Keith Idec
ROBSON CONCEICAO has returned home to Brazil as an ex-champion.
The former WBC super featherweight titleholder can only hope O’Shaquie Foster feels a sense of fairness after regaining that WBC belt by winning their second fight Saturday night in Verona, New York. Conceicao upset Foster by split decision July 6, but Foster overcame Conceicao by split decision in their 12-round rematch at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
Foster fought Conceicao again because the WBC ordered an immediate rematch two weeks after Conceicao narrowly won their 12-round bout on the Shakur Stevenson-Artem Harutyunyan undercard. The two-time champion isn’t contractually obligated to face Conceicao a third time, which was why Conceicao reminded Foster during his post-fight interview with ESPN’s Mark Kriegel that they’ve both barely won the two times they shared the ring.
“If he accepts the rematch,” Conceicao said through a translator, “just like I gave him the rematch, and I think he should show that same amount of respect, so we can do another fight. Right now, we’re still 1-1.”
Foster (23-3, 12 KOs), of Orange, Texas, expressed more interest after he won back his title in facing the winner of another rematch in which Emanuel Navarrete will defend his WBO junior lightweight title against Mexican rival Oscar Valdez. Navarrete (38-2-1, 31 KOs) and Valdez (32-2, 24 KOs), who lost a unanimous decision to Navarrete in August 2023, will headline a card ESPN will televise December 7 from Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Conceicao (19-3-1, 9 KOs) was sharper Saturday night and more accurate with his punches than when he upset Foster almost four months ago at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It still wasn’t enough to prevent the 2016 Olympic gold medalist from falling to 1-3-1 in 130-pound world title fights.
Judges Max De Luca and Eric Marlinski scored seven rounds apiece for Foster, who won 115-113 on their cards. Judge Tom Schreck credited Conceicao for a 115-113 win in what the 36-year-old former champion considers one of the most impressive outings of his eight-year professional career.
“I’m happy because I know what I did in the ring,” Conceicao said. “I know that I did a good job, so it’s no reason to be sad. … I think it’s one of my best performances. And I know that I did a good job. I trained really well for it. The fight was tough, and it was close, but I know that I did a good job.”
Before he defeated Foster, Conceicao was 0-2-1 in junior lightweight title fights versus Valdez, Stevenson and Navarrete, with whom he settled for a majority draw last November 16 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
